Alan Carson named new city manager

Monday

Feb 11, 2013 at 9:48 PM

Alan Carson, 51, will be Lexington's new city manager effective Feb. 25 when his swearing-in will take place.

BY REBEKAH CANSLER MCGEEThe Dispatch

Alan Carson, 51, will be Lexington's new city manager effective Feb. 25 when his swearing-in will take place.The interim city manager and former assistant city manager was awarded the position on Monday at the conclusion of the Lexington City Council meeting."I am very excited. This is a great opportunity that he council has given me," Carson said.When John Gray, former city manager announced his retirement in September, the city council decided to have an open process, searching for the best candidate for the vacant position. "I applaud the council for going through an open process," said Newell Clark, mayor of Lexington. "But when it came to the face-to-face interviews, it was clear we had the strongest candidate in-house. This was a unanimous decision by the council."The field of more than 80 applicants was narrowed to five and then four were brought in for face-to-face interviews."I've known Alan for several years and I know his leadership abilities. Once we interviewed the four candidates, it was clear he was head and shoulders qualified above the others," said Linwood Bunce, councilman. Carson has held the position of assistant city manager/human resources director since 2003. Before this time he worked in human resources, customer service, but was hired in 1989 as the city's first Utilities Marketing Manager. Carson received his bachelor's of science degree from Radford University in Virginia, where he majored in business, according to a press release from city hall. Carson is a 1993 graduate of Leadership Davidson County, a 1998 graduate of the 170-hour municipal administration course from the Institute of Government and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a 2007 graduate of the Public Executive Leadership Academy at the Institute of Government.Carson also currently serves on several boards throughout the city and county, such as the Lexington Tourism Board, the J. Smith Young YMCA Board of Directors and the Wake Forest Baptist Health—Lexington Medical Center Foundation Board of Directors. As part of his interview, Carson said he wanted to see the city get involved in the council's goals."One of the biggest things I would like to see happen is the city staff to become more of an integral part in setting the goals to move the city forward," Carson said. The next few months will be filled with drafting the coming year's fiscal budget along with incorporating the final draft of the city goals, once they are approved."We want to keep the city moving forward and work to make sure our future is brighter than our past," Carson said.Council approved the city manager's salary as $120,000.Rebekah Cansler McGee can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 228, or at rebekah.mcgee@the-dispatch.com.

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